Typewriting machine



Jan. 14, 1941. J. BARKDOLL v 2,228,433

TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 9, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Jan. 14; 1941'. J. P. BARKDOLL TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Marc); 9, 19:9 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'llllllll ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TYPEWRITIN G MACHINE Application March 9, 1939, Serial No. 260,704

22 Claims.

.vide an improved type bar operable universal bar of the plunger type, and especially one for actuating an escapement dog rocker, and one.for actuating such a rocker in a machine having a case shiftabl-e platen carriage; to provide in a typewriting machine, and particularly in one of the three-quarter strike or semi-front strike variety, means functioning to quiet the printing impacts of the type bars, repulse the type bars fromprinting position, and actuate an element (such as a dog rocker) required to be operated once for each imprint made, which universal means preferably is so constructed and arranged also that type bar impacts thereon will create substantially no noise; to provide an improved assembly of a plunger type universal bar and escapement mechanism for typewriting machines with a 25 case-shiftable platen carriage, wherein the universal bar is operated by the type'bars of the machine; and to provide a light, inexpensive. simple, cheap and efficient combined universal bar, type bar printing impact quieting device and type bar repulser, and particularly one suitable for use in small, inexpensive and light-weight portable typewriting machines and which is quiet in operation.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide 35 an improved universal bar characterized particularly by its cheapness, light weight, inexpensive one-piece construction, and by the simplicity of its mounting in the machine and operative assembly with the device to be actuated, effecting 0 reduction in the number of parts or pieces usually required.

A further object of the invention is to provide a type bar operable universal bar of the plunger type resiliently flexible laterally and normally 45 bent or bowed for biased resilient fiexure under type bar impacts, and particularly such a universal bar so mounted and assembled in the machine as to require it to be resiliently flexed at the time a type bar acting thereon reaches printing position.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a light and inexpensive universal bar formed of a single length of resilient wire of small gauge and so constructed and mounted as to insure its having a long working life.

improved type bar operable universal.

To the foregoing ends, and other ends which will appearfrom the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the invention consists in the devices, features of construction, arrangements of parts, and combinations of elements hereinafter more particularly described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims. I

The accompanying drawings show the present invention in its preferred embodiment in a small, fiat, light-weight, portable typewriting machine of the semi-front strike, or three-quarter strike, variety, the said machine having a case shiftable platen carriage pivotally shiftable, to change case, about a horizontal axis extending transversely of. the machine, and said machine having pivoted type bars selectively movable to print at a common printing point on the upper front portion or quadrant of a roller platen journalled on the carriage. Machines of this general type are known, and only so much of the improved machine as is necessary for clear understanding of the present invention is shown and will be described.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the improved machine on the line l-l of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is a detail front view showing the type bar guide, the front portion of the universal bar, a guide for the universal bar, and the mounting of the type bar guide and universal bar guide on the type bar segment, the view showing the parts as they appear when viewed from the front of the machine along a line perpendicular to the plane of the inclined segment;

- Fig. 3 is a detail top plan'view showing the universal bar and the carriage escapement operable thereby, the parts being in normal idle position as in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the machine, certain parts being omitted and others partly broken away for clarity .of illustration of the present invention; 45

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the rear part of the machine as viewed from the left hand side of the machine; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the relative extents of motion of the two ends of the resiliently laterally flexible universal bar.

The machine, the parts of which are drawn to full scale in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 and are shown double actual size in Figs. 1 and 3, has a sheet metal main frame comprising two vertical longitudinal side walls and an upwardly and r-earwardly inclined sheet metal cross wall or partition wall H, the latter wall being inclined at an angle of forty degrees to the horizontal and being rigidly anchored at its ends by suitable means to the side walls.

The usual roller platen I2 having the usual finger wheels [2 is journalled in the known manner in the end plates of a sheet metal platen carriage l3 having the usual ball bearing mounting on a sheet metal carriage bed [4.

The carriage bed forms part of a case shift frame for the platen carriage, said frame consisting of the bed l4, two pivot or end brackets l5 of sheet metal, and an escapement supporting bracket 16 of sheet metal. Brackets l5 are rigidly held to the bottom of the carriage bed adjacent opposite sides of the machine by fastening screws l1 and are hinged to the main frame side walls at the rear end of the machine by suitable pivots l8 for rocking movement of the shift frame about a horizontal axis A--A extending transversely of the machine. Bracket 16 is located substantially medially of the sides of the machine, is rigidly held at its rear end to the bottom of the bed M by fastening screws l9 and extends generally forward from the bed toward cross wall I I of the main frame.

At its front end the bracket element 16 of the shift frame is normally held seated, by the action of gravity, on the upper end of a lower case stop screw 20 to determine the lower case printing position of the platen, and carries an upper case stop screw 2| for limiting upward and rearward swinging case shift movement of the shift frame about axis A-A. Stop screw 20 is carried by a sheet metal bracket 22 affixed to wall II at the rear face of said wall, said bracket having a stop portion 22 under which the upper end of screw 2| is engageable to determine the upper case printing position of the platen. Suitable means (not shown) are provided for rocking the shift frame upward and rearward to upper case position, the bed and platen carriage being always forwardly and downwardly tilted relatively to the horizontal in the machine shown.

The machine is provided with the usual arcuate and slotted pivot segment 23 for the usual set of pivoted type bars 24. Segment 23 carries the usual arcuate pivot wire 25 for the type bars, the segment being inclined upward and rearward to dispose wire 25in a plane tangent to the platen at the printing point and support the bars to strike at a common printing point on the upper front portion or upper front quadrant of the platen, all as is common in threequarter strike or semi-front strike typewriting machines. In the present machine the segment is rigidly held to wall H at the front face of said wall midway the sides of the machine by fastening screws 26 with the segment and wire 25 in planes inclined upward and rearward at an angle of forty degrees to the horizontal.

The type bars 24 each carry a. lower case type 24 and an upper case type 2t and are selectively operable to print by suitable type bar actions, not shown. For simplicity and clarity of disclosure of the improvements only two type bars of the usual set are shown. The usual type bar guide 21, for guiding the type bars as they approach printing position, is affixed to the segment by screws 28, said guide extending upward and rearward from the segment in front of the platen to a point closely adjacent the printing point. The type bars normally extend upward and forward from their pivots and rest adjacent their free ends on a suitable padded type bar rest 29 fixed to main frame side walls H).

The platen carriage I3 is, as usual, normally urged from right to left by the usual spring drum 30 mounted on the carriage bed and having connected thereto one end of the usual pull cable 3 I, the other end of which cable is, as usual, connected to the carriage at the right hand end of the carriage. Travel of the carriage for stepby-step letter feed movement of the carriage from right to left is controlled in the machine shown by an escapement device ofthe well known rotary type. The said escapement device comprises the usual carriage-carried feed rack 32, the usual feed pinion 33 meshing with the rack, and the usual toothed escapement wheel 34, which wheel and pinion are (as usual) connected to rotate as a unit about a common axis. In the machine shown the pinion and wheel are rotatably mounted to turn as a unit on the upstanding pivot 43 fixed to bracket IS. The escapement also includes a dog rocker 35 carrying a fixed dog 36 and a pivoted spring-urged or loose dog 31 urged by a spring 38 toward the wheel and against stop 48 on the dog rocker, a dog rocker return spring 39, and suitable stop means for positively limiting rocking movement of the rocker as is usual.

In the construction shown, the dog rocker is a sheet metal dog rocker formed with a pair of pivot ears connected to the bracket l6 by pivots 40 for rocking of the rocker about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine parallel to axis A-A of the shift frame. The two dogs are at the forward end of the rocker, dog 31 being pivotally held to the rocker by an upstanding pivot screw 4|, and its nose end being urged to the wheel. 34 by spring 38 which is connected to the dog and dog rocker. The dog rocker return spring 39, which is connected to bracket l6 and one of the pivot ears of the dog rocker, normally swings the rocker in a direction to lower its dog carrying end and normally holds the rocker in the position shown in the drawings in which the bottom end of screw 4| is seated on a suitable padded stop 42 carried by bracket Hi. In this position of the rocker, dog 31 is engageable with a tooth of wheel 34 to hold the carriage, and dog 36 is below the plane of wheel 34. The rocker has a stop extension 35 for engagement with stop 42 to positively arrest swinging of the rocker against the pull of rocker return spring 39 with dog 31 lifted clear of wheel 34 and the dog 36 positioned for engagement by a tooth of wheel 34, whereby to effect letter space feed of the carriage in a well known manner by rocking the dog rocker.

For actuating the dog rocker at the type bar strokes, and for other purposes herein appearing, the improved machine is provided with the following novel means and features of construction.

The dog rocker at its rear end is provided with a pair of parallel upstanding ears 35 spaced apart transversely of the machine and each provided adjacent its upper end with a bearing aperture 44. Apertures 44 are aligned transversely of the machine and in the normal returned position of the dog rocker shown in the drawings are coincident or coaxial with the pivotal axis A-A of the carriage shift frame. These apertures 44 form pivot bearings for a rear pintle end portion of a novel universal device 45 provided for actuating the rocker and for other purposes.

This universal device or universal bar is of the plunger type, the said universal plunger device 45 being resiliently flexible and, in the construction shown, being formed of a single length of resilient metal wire of small gauge, preferably tempered steel wire of a diameter of .046 inches. This plunger device is mounted in the machine and is permanently bent adjacent each end to provide an integral pintle end portion 45 at its rear end and an integral type bar impact receiving front end portion 45. which end portions are parallel to each other and extend horizontally transversely of the machine toward the right from the main intermediate or body part of the plunger.

Pintle portion 45 extends through the bearing apertures 44 in the two ears 35 of dog rocker 35. A fixed slide bearing or guide is provided for supporting the plunger intermediate its ends near the front end of the plunger, said guide consisting of a sheet metal bracket 46 held clamped at one end between the type bar guide 21 and type bar segment 23 by the screws 28 and provided behind the type barguide with a guide aperture 41 through which the body part of the plunger loosely extends and is reciprocable.

The plunger 45 from one end portion to the other is permanently bowed or bent in a general downward direction for biased resilient flexure of the plunger, the plunger being permanently bowed in a direction transverse to that in which said two end portions 45 and 45' extend. It will also be observed, especially from Fig. l of the drawings,

'that the generally downwardly bent or bowed plunger is so bent as to provide forward of guide 46 an upstanding arm of substantial length supporting at its upper end the type bar impact receiving end portion 45 of the plunger, and to provide a permanently downwardly bowed length of the body part of plunger 45 between guide 46 and the rear pintle end portion 45 of the plunger. The plunger, by reason of its permanently or normally bent or bowed condition, is biased for resilient lateral flexure from end to end always in the same direction under driving action thereon of the type bars. The dog rocker and guide 46-41 support the plunger for bodily reciprocation of the plunger fore-and-aft of the machine and a concomitant resilient bowing or biased flexure of the plunger and restoration thereof to its normal bowed condition. The resilient flexing of the plunger under the driving action of the type bars thereon, hereinafter described, shortens the distance in a straight line between the two end portions 45 and 45 of the plunger, as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 6.

The dog rocker 35 and guide 46 support plunger 45 in the normal or spring-returned position of the dog rocker with the type bar impact receiving end portion 45 of the plunger located close to the printing point and substantially at the type bar entrance to the type bar guide in the paths of printing movement of the several type bars of the usual set of type bars, the normal location of portion 45 being such that it will be struck by each type bar near the end of the printing stroke of the bar as the latter is driven toward the platen and will be driven by the actuated type bar. The normal length of plunger 45 (or the normal distance in a straight line between the end portions 45 and 45 of the plunger) is such that an actuated type bar, in order to reach printing position, will not only drive the plunger bodily fore-and-aft of the machine to actuate the dog rocker but must necessarily resiliently flex or bow the plunger, as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 6. In Fig. 6 is illustrated diagrammatically in full lines the 'rocker pivot 40, and in dotted lines the position of parts 45 and 45 at the opposite limit of movement of the dog rocker, the throw of the dog rocker being positively limited by the stop means hereinbefore described and as is common in escapement mechanisms not only of the rotary type but of other types. From Fig. 6 particularly it will be seen that, at the end of the printing stroke of a type bar, the end 45 of the plunger is substantially closer to end 45 of the plunger than in the normal idle position of the plunger.

The initial impact between the plunger and an actuated type bar will, by reason of the light and resilient construction of the plunger, create very little noise. The actuated type bar will drive and resiliently flex the plunger and cause the plunger to act as a type bar. operable universal bar to actuate the carriage escapement. The resilient flexing of the universal plunger or bar will materially reduce the usual noise of type impact on the platen by cushioning the printing stroke of the bars as they approach the impact point. The necessarily resiliently flexed condition of the plunger under type bar pressure at the time any bar reaches printing position permits said plunger to function as a type bar repulser to quickly initially drive the actuated bar back from the platen, thus contributing to speed of writing.

It will be understood of course that'the machine is provided with the usual writing ribbon and paper feed mechanism, and in Fig. 1 such a ribbon is illustrated in section at 49 and a fragment of a sheet of paper is illustrated at Bilinterposed between'the ribbon and platen.

It will also be observed that guide 46 and ears l5 provide a very simple mounting for the plunger, which plunger consists of a single piece of metal held assembled with the dog rocker solely by said guide and said dog rocker ears. The ears 35 afford a double pivot bearing on the rocker for the rear end of the plunger. The plunger may be conveniently assembled by, for example, inserting pintle end portion 45' through ears 35 slipping guide 46 over the front end of the plunger, and fastening said guide 46 and the type bar guide 21 to the type bar segment by means of the screws 28.

What I claim is:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen thereon, type bars pivotally mounted to strike at a common printing point on the platen, escapement mechanism for the carriage including a spring-returned pivotally mounted dog rocker and means for positively limiting rocking movement of said rocker, and a resilient laterally flexible plunger pivotally connectedat one end to said rocker and arranged with its other end disposed adjacent theprinting point for driving of the plunger by the type bars during the latter part of their printing strokes to actuate the rocker, means slidably supporting said p1 .iger adjacent said other end thereof, said plunger being permanently bent between its ends for biased lateral flexure thereof, the normal length of said plunger necessitating a resiliently flexed condition thereof when an actuated type bar arrives at printing position.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen thereon, a carriage escapement device including a spring-returned mounted type bars selectively movable to print at a common printing point on the platen, a plunger operable by the type bars to actuate the dog rocker and consisting of a length of resilient wire, said plunger having an integral pintle portion at its rear end extending horizontally transversely of the machine and pivotally connecting the plunger to the rocker, said plunger having an integral type-bar-impact receiving front end portion extending transversely of the machine adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the respective type bars, and stationary means slidably guiding said plunger between its ends for reciprocation.

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen thereon, a carriage escapement device including a spring-returned dog rocker and means positively limiting rocking movement of the rocker, said rocker being pivotally mounted to rock about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, pivotally mounted type bars selectively movable to print at a common printing'point on the platen, a plunger operable by the type bars to actuate the dog rocker and consisting of a length of resilient wire, said plunger having an integral pintle portion at its rear end extending horizontally transversely of the machine and pivotally connecting the plunger to the rocker, said plunger having an integral type-bar-impact receiving front endportion extending transversely of the machine adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the respective type bars, and

. stationary means slidably guiding said plunger between its ends for reciprocation, said plunger being permanently bowed downward between said stationary guide means and the rear pintle end portion of the plunger.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen thereon, a carriage escapement device including a spring-returned dog rocker and means positively limiting rocking movement of the rocker, said rocker being pivotally mounted to rock about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, pivotally mounted type bars selectively movable to print at a common printing point on the platen, a

plunger operable by the type bars to actuate thedog rocker and consisting of a length of resilient wire, said plunger having an integral pintle portion at its rear end extending horizontally transversely of the machine and pivotally connecting the plunger to the rocker, said plunger having an integral type-bar-impact receiving front end portion extending transversely of the machine adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the respective type bars, and stationary means slidably guiding said plunger between its ends for reciprocation, said plunger being permanently bowed downward between its rear end and said guide means and permanently bent upward forward of said guide means, the distance on a straight line between the two ends of the plunger being such that any actuated type bar must resiliently flex the plunger in order to reach printing position.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a platen on the carriage, a case shift frame for the platen carriage pivotally mounted on the main frame for shifting about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, type bars pivotally mounted on the main frame to strike at a common printing point on the platen and each provided with lower and upper case types, a carriage escapement mounted to shift with the shift frame and including a spring-returned dog rocker pivotally mounted on the shift 'frame to rock between fixed limits about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the shift frame, a plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to the dog rocker, the axis of said pivotal connection between the plunger and rocker being normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, said plunger having a type-bar-impact receiving forward end portion located in the paths of printing movement of the several type bars, and means reciprocably supporting said plunger at a point forward of said pivotal connection.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a platen on the carriage, a case shift frame for the platen carriage pivotally mounted on the main frame for shifting about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, type bars pivotally mounted on the main frame to strike at a common printing point on the platen and each provided with lower and upper case types, a carriage escapement mounted to shift with the shift frame and including a spring-returned dog rocker pivotally mounted on the shift frame to rock between fixed limits about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the shift frame, a plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to the dog rocker, the axis of said pivotal connection between the plunger and rocker being normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, said plunger being resilient and having a typebar-impact receiving forward end portion normally interposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the several type bars, and means reciprocably supporting said plunger at a point forward of said pivotal connection of the plunger with the dog rocker.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a platen on the carriage, a case shift frame for the platen carriage pivotally mounted on the main frame for shifting about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, type bars pivotally mounted on the main frame to strike at a common printing point on the platen and each provided with lower and upper case types, a carriage escapement mounted to shift with the shift frame and including a spring-returned dog rocker pivotally mounted on the 'shift frame to rock between flxed limits about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the shift frame, a plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear to the dog rocker, the axis of said pivotal connection between the plunger and rocker being normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, said plunger having a type bar-impact receiving forward end portion located in the paths of printing movement of the several type bars, and stationary means on the main frame slidably guiding said plunger at a point intermediate its ends for reciprocation of the plunger.

8. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a platen on the carriage, a case shift frame for the platen carriage pivotally mounted on the main frame for shifting about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, type bars pivotally mounted on the main frame to strike at a common printing point on the platen and each provided with lower and upper case types, a carriage escapement mounted to shift with the shift frame and including a spring-returned dog rocker pivotally mounted on the shift frame to rock between fixed limits about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the shift frame, and a plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to the dog rocker, the axis of said pivotal connection between the plunger and rocker being normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, said plunger being resilient and having a type-bar-impact receiving forward end portion normally interposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the several type bars, and stationary means on the main frame slidably supporting said plunger intermediate its ends for reciprocation of the plunger.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a platen on the carriage, acase shift frame for the platen carriage pivotally mounted on the main frame for shifting about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, type bars pivotally mounted on the main frame to strike at a common printing point on the'platen and each provided with lower and upper case types, a. carriage escapement mounted to shift with the shift frame and including a spring-returned dog rocker pivotally mounted on the shift frame to rock between fixed limits about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the shift frame, and a plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to the dog rocker, the axis of said pivotal connection between the plunger and rocker being normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, said plunger having a type-bar-impact receiving forward end portion normally interposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the several type bars, the plunger being a resiliently flexible metallic plunger and being permanently bent downward between its ends for biased flexure thereof by the type bars, and means on the main frame slidably guiding said plunger intermediate its ends for reciprocation of the plunger.

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a platen on the carriage, a case shift frame for the platen carriage pivotally mounted on the main frame for shifting about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, type bars pivotally mounted on the main frame to strike at a common printing point on the platen and each provided with lower and upper case types, a carriage escapement mounted to shift with the shift frame and including a spring-returned dog rocker pivotally mounted on the shift frame'to rock between fixed limits about an axis parallel to the pivotal axis of the shift frame, a plunger extending foreand-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to the dog rocker, the axis of said pivotal connection between the plunger and rocker being normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, said plunger consisting of a length of resilient wire and having a type-barimpact receiving end portion normally interposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the type bars, and means on the main frame slidably guiding said plunger intermediate its ends for reciprocation of the plunger, the plunger being permanently bowed downward intermediate said guide means and the rear end of the plunger and being also permanently bent forward of said guide means to extend upward to its impact receiving forward end.

11. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a roller platen journalled in the carriage, type bars pivotally mounted to strike rearwardly and finally downward to print at a common printing point onthe upper front portion of the roller platen, a carriage escapement including a spring-returned dog rocker rockable about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine and also including means for positively limiting the extent of rocking movement of the dog rocker, and a resiliently flexible metal plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to said rocker, and means slidably guiding said plunger intermediate its ends for reciprocation of the plunger, said plunger having a type-bar-impact receiving front end normally interposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the type bars.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a roller platen journalled in the carriage, type bars pivotally mounted to strike ,rearwardly and finally downward to print at a common printing point on the upper front portion of the roller platen, a carriage escapement including a spring-returned dog rocker rockable about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine and also including means for positively limiting the extent of rocking movement of the dog rocker, and a resiliently flexible metal plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and pivotally connected at its rear end to said rocker, and means slidably guiding said plunger intermediate its ends for reciprocation of the plunger, said plunger having a type-bar-impact receiving front end normally interposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing move ment of the type bars, the plunger being permanently bowed downward between its rear end and said guide means and being permanently bent forward of said guide means to extend upward and rearward from the last-mentioned bend therein to its type-bar-impacting receiving end.

13. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a roller platen journalled on the carriage, a shift frame supporting the carriage and hinged to the main frame for case shift movement about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the machine, an upwardly and rearwardly inclined type bar segment mounted on the main frame, type bars pivoted in said segment to strike at a common printing point on the upper front portion of the platen, a type bar guide held to the segment medially of the sides of the machine, a carriage escapement shiftable with the shift frame and including a spring-returned'dog rocker rockable about an axis parallel to the pivotalv axis of the shift frame, a resiliently flexible metallic plunger extending fore-and-aft of the machine and hinged at its rear end to the rocker for relative pivotal movement between the rocker and plunger about an axis normally coincident with the pivotal axis of the shift frame, stationary means held to the segment for slidably guiding said plunger intermediate the ends of the plunger, said plunger consisting of a length of resilient wire and being permanently bent forwardof said guide means to extend upward and rearward toward the printing point and having a type-bar-impact receiving end portion extending transversely of the machine 14. In a typewriting machine, the combination adjacent the printing point, said end portion beof a universal bar consisting of a resiliently bendable plunger, means supporting said plunger for reciprocation thereof to actuate a mechanism of the machine, means for limiting the extent of reciprocatory motion of said plunger. means for normally yieldably urging said plunger to one of its limits of reciprocatory motion, and a plurality of type carriers selectively movable lO print at a common printing point and to each engage while on its printing stroke with one end of said plunger to drive the plunger against the resistance of said last-mentioned means, said supporting-means supporting said plunger at two longitudinally spaced points, and said plunger being permanently bent between the points of support for biased resilient flexture thereof.

15. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a universal bar consisting of a resiliently bendable one-piece metal plunger, means supporting said plunger at two longitudinally spaced points for reciprocation, means for limiting the extent of rec'iprocatory motion of the plunger, means for normally yieldably urging said plunger to one limit of its reciprocatory motion. and a plurality of type carriers selectively movable to print at a common printing point and to each engage on its printing stroke with one end of said plunger as the type carrier approaches the printing point to thereafter drive said plunger to the other limit of its reciprocatory motion.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination of type carriers selectively movable to print at a common printing point, a universal bar consisting of a resiliently bendable plunger having a permanent bend therein for biased resilient ilexure thereof, means supporting said permanently bent plunger for reciprocation with one end of said plunger disposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the type carriers for driving of the plunger in one direction by the type carriers on their printing strokes, spring means for returning the plunger on the return strokes of the type carriers, and means for positively limiting the extent of reciprocatory motion of the plunger, the normal length of the permanently bent plunger being sufiicient to require resilient bending of the plunger by an actuated type carrier on its printing stroke to enable the' type carrier to reach printing position.

17. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen thereon, type bars pivotally mounted to strike at a common printing point on the platen, escapement mechanism for the carriage including a spring-returned pivotally mounted dog rocker, means for positively limiting rocking movement of the rocker, a universal bar consisting of a resiliently bendable plunger having a type bar impact receiving end and having its other end supported by and pivotally connected to the dog rocker, and means reciprocably supporting the plunger at a point intermediate the ends of the plunger, said dog rocker and said supporting means reciprocably and bendably sup porting the plunger with the type bar impact re ceiving end of the plunger disposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the type bars for driving of said plunger by an actuated type bar during the latter part of the printing stroke of the type bar.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen carriage, a platen thereon, type bars pivotally mounted to strike at a common printing point on the for the carriage pivotally mounted platen, escapement mechanism including a spring-returned dog rocker, means for positively limiting rocking movement of the rocker, a universal bar consisting of a resiliently bendable plunger having a type bar impact receiving end and having its other end supported by and pivotally connected to the dog rocker, means reciprocably supporting the plunger at a point intermediate the ends of the plunger, said dog rocker and said supporting means reciprocably and bendably supporting the plunger with the type bar impact receiving end of the plunger disposed adjacent the printing point in the paths of printing movement of the type bars for driving of said plunger by an actuated type bar during the latter part of the printing stroke of the type bar, said plunger being permanently bent for biased flexure thereof under the driving force of an actuated type bar, and the normal length of the plunger being such that an actuated type bar must resiliently flex the permanently bent plunger to reach printing position.

19. In a writing machine, the combination with a series oftype-bars, of a plunger-type universal bar comprising a yielding wire member having an upwardly extending front end portion adapted to be struck by said type-bars, means for movably supporting said wire member near said upwardly extending front end portion, an escapement mechanism adapted to be operated by said yielding wire member, said yielding memberhaving a rear end portion connected to said escapement mechanism and being normally laterally deflected between the support for said front end portion and said rear end portion and yieldingly bendable laterally by the impact of the type bars on the said front end portion.

20. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a main frame, a platen carriage, a roller platen journalled on the carriage, an upwardly and re'arwardly inclined type bar segment mounted on the main frame, type bars pivoted in said segment to strike at a common printing point on the upper front portion of the platen, a carriage escapement including a spring-returned dog rocker, a resiliently flexible metallic plunger extending fore-and-ait of the machine and hinged at its rear end to the said dog rocker for relative" pivotal movement between the rocker and plunger, stationary means for slidably guiding said plunger intermediate the ends of the plunger, said plunger consisting of a length of resilient wire and being permanently bent forward of said guiding means to extend upward and rearward toward the printing point and having a typebar-impact receiving end portion extending transversely of the machine adjacent the printing point, said end portion being normally interposed in the paths of printing movement of the type bars for driving of the plunger by the type bars, said plunger being bent laterally between its hinged rear end and said plunger guiding means.

21. For use in a typewriting machine as an escapement-operating universal bar of the plunger type adapted to be operated by type bars, a plunger formed of a single length of tempered spring wire, said plunger consisting of a stem formed with a front end portion extending laterally from the end of the stem, the stem having a straight portion near the front end portion for sliding reciprocation in a plunger support and being permanently laterally bent between its rear end and the said straight portion, said laterally extending front end portion of the plunger forming a plunger head for driving contact of the type bars with the plunger,

and the rear end forming means for connection of 7 the plunger with a movable member of the escapement mechanism.

.22. For use in a typewriting machine as a typebar-actuated universal bar of the type reciprocable upon actuation of' any type bar of the machine to actuate an element of the machine, a, one-piece plunger provided at opposite ends thereof respectively with a pivot element for pivotal connection of the plunger with the machine element to be actuated and with a driving head for receiving plunger-driving ,action of any actuated type bar of the machine, said plunger being normally laterally deflected bodily from a straight line passing through its head and pivot element to thereby have a normal bias to resiliently bend laterally under plunger-driving action'on its head of an actuated type bar of the machine, and said plunger having intermediate its driving head and pivot element a straight portion for sliding reciprocation in a plunger guide on the machine.

JOSEPH P, BARKDOLL. 

